Support for the angular wall overlying a protruding corner fireplace



Jan. 23, 1968 c. c. EHINGER 3,365,225

SUPPORT FOR THE ANGULAR WALL OVERLYING A PROTRUDING CORNER FIREPLACE Filed Oct. 14, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jr: denfor aidl'iz 67271 z'ny r Jan. 23, 1968 c. c. EHINGER 3,365,225

SUPPORT FOR THE ANGULAR WALL OVERLYING A PROTRUDING CORNER FIREPLACE Filed Oct. 14, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet t- INVENTOR alflz'n CEfim ger ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,365,225 SUPPORT FOR THE ANGULAR WALL OVERLYIN G A PROTRUDING CORNER FIREPLACE Calvin C. Ehinger, 16123 Grevillea, Lawnd'ale, Calif. 90260 Filed Oct. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 496,910 3 Claims. (Cl. 287-18936) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention set forth herein pertains to a support for an overhead protruding angular wall which support embodies a corner post and horizontal rails leading at right angles relative to each other from the upper end of the post on which rails the wall is erected; the invention residing in a means for connecting the adjacent ends of the rails together and in engagement with the upper end of the corner post which means comprises a pair of angularly related inverted U-shaped elements for interconnecting the adjacent ends of said rails to the upper end of the supporting post.

Summary of the invention The essence of the invention resides in initially fitting the upper end of the supporting post with a rigidly attached flat crown plate on which the adjacent ends of angularly disposed horizontally extending header rails are seated with the contiguous ends of the rails interconnected by means of a coupling comprising a pair of angularly disposed inverted U-shaped units positioned astride upstanding webs on said rails with the lower ends of the united units affixed to the crown plate as by welding.

By the above recited construction the adjacent ends of the header rails are independently telescopically mounted relative to the crown plate and supporting post.

This invention relates to fireplaces and particularly pertains to fireplaces which protrude from a corner and have a pair of outside walls leading at right angles relative to each other with the fireplace opening beneath the apex formed at the juncture of such walls.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a substantial support for the angular wall overlying the opening of a corner fireplace.

Another object is to provide a support of the above character which is adapted to be produced either in knock-down condition and assembled on the job at least in most part, or prefabricated as a unit preliminary to installation.

A further object is to provide a support embodying a post or standard having a crown plate on which the ends of a pair of rails are supported in which means are provided for substantially fixedly yet detachably mounting the rails on said crown plate embodying a construction whereby the rails may be telescopically engaged with said crown plate.

With the foregoing objects in view together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear the invention resides in the parts and in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated for example in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a protruding corner fireplace, showing the invention as applied;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the head portion of the support indicated by the arrow 2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an isometric vie-w of the structure shown in FIG. 2 as seen from the back side thereof;

FIG. 4 is an isometric disassembled view of the structure shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view in section and elevation as seen on the line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view as seen in the direction of the arrow 7 in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 8 is a view in elevation similar to FIG. 7 depicting a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings more specifically AA designates the side wall of a fireplace of the protruding type which walls extend at right angles relative to each other and are spaced apart to provide a fireplace opening B. Extending above the opening B are protruding side walls CC aligned with the walls AA and meeting in an apex D above the opening B.

The present invention resides in a support for the walls C-C which support embodies a standard 10 here shown as comprising a length of metal tubing. The standard 10 when installed, is erected to extend between the fireplace floor and the intersection of the walls C-C adjacent the apex D as shown in FIG. 1. Mounted on the upper end of the standard 10 is a crown plate 11 the plane of which extends transversely to the axis of the standard whereby when the standard is vertically positioned the plate 11 will extend horizontally.

The plate 11 is rigidly aflixed to the adjacent end of the standard, such as by weld joint 12 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 whereby the plate and standard are inseparably together, but in some instances the upper end of the standard may be removably seated an in annulus 13 secured to the under side of the plate 11' by a weld joint 12 as shown in FIG. 8.

The standard 10 and plate 11 are provided as a means of support for the inner ends of a pair of header rails 14-14 which, when the support is assembled, extend horizontally between the plate 11 and the walls AA with their outer ends seated on the latter. The portions of the walls C-C extending over the fireplace opening B are erected on the rails 1414 as shown in FIG. 1.

The rails 1414 preferably comprise lengths of angleiron each of which embody a pair of united webs a-b extending at right angles to each other throughout the lengths thereof which when the rails are installed, are positioned with the Webs a-a seating on the plate 11 and with the webs b-b extending vertically along the inner sides of the rails.

When the rails are thus disposed they will extend longitudinally at right angles to each other with their inner ends contiguous or abutting each other on the plate 11 as particularly shown in FIG. 5.

A rectangular filler plate 15 is interposed between the inner ends of the pair of rails 1414 which plate extends parallel with the plate 11 in contact therewith and is welded thereto; the plate 15 having a thickness corresponding to that of the webs aa so that the outer surface of the plate 15 and web a-a will extend on a common plane.

Means are provided for rigidly connecting the rails 14-14 in seated telescopic engagement with the plate 11 which means is here shown as comprising a pair of inverted rigid U-shape elements 16-16 positioned astride the perpendicular Webs bb and having one leg thereof immovably affixed to said plate.

The elements 1616 are preferably formed unitarily by means of a short piece of angle iron E having a portion of the length thereof formed with an open ended slot intermediate its longitudinal margins to separate a portion of the webs d-e and provide thereby tongues c-c which are bent to overlie the webs d-e as particularly shown in FIG. 4; the tongues c-c being spaced from the adjacent webs a distance slightly exceeding the thickness of the webs b-b of the rails 1414. The tongues cc constia tute the outer leg members of the elements 15-15, the inner leg members of which are formed by the webs re of the angle iron E which latter is seated endwise on the plate 11 and rigidly aflixed thereto by a weld joint 17 whereby the angle iron B will project perpendicular to the upper face of the plate 11.

In some instances the above described supporting structure may be preassembled, that is with the standard 10 affixed to the plate 11, with the elements 16-16 affixed to the plate 11 together with the plate 15, and with the header rails 14-14 engaged in the elements 16-16. In some instances further fastening of the side rails 14-14 in place may be efiected by a weld joint applied along the outer margins of the rail Webs A and the contiguous portion of the plate 11. However the supporting structure may be supplied wholly disassembled as shown in FIG. 4, or the crown plate 11 may be supplied with the elements' 16 thereon without attachment to the column 1t) leaving the header rails 14-14 for subsequent attachment to the plate 11 by telescopic engagement with the elements 16-16.

In some instances set screws 20 may be applied to the neck member 0 of the elements 16 for clamping engagement with the webs b as shown in FIG. 8.

The application of the invention is apparent from the foregoing, it being obvious that the complete assemblage comprising the standard 10, plate 11, elements 16-16 and rails 14-14 may be set in place or the standard first erected and the plate 11 mounted thereon, whereupon the rails 14-14 may be applied by sliding them longitudinally into telescopic engagement with the elements 16-16.

On erecting the support, and disposing the rails 14-14 above the opening B the wall C-C are erected on the previously built walls A and on the rails 14-14 as shown in FIG. 1.

I claim:

1. A support for the angular wall overlying the opening of a protruding fireplace, said support embodying a standard having an upper end; a crown plate seated on said end extending horizontally when said standard is vertically disposed, a pair of header rails having inner end portions seated on said plate and having opposed elongated outer end portions protruding longitudinally from said plate in perpendicular relation to said standard, and means fixed on said plate telescopically engaging the inner end portions of said rails; said rails comprising lengths of angle-iron having a pair of webs extending in right angular relation to each other arranged with one web overlying and slidably seating on said plate in parallel relation thereto and the other web extending perpendicular thereto; said means comprising a pair of inverted rigid U- shaped elements slidably positioned astride said perpendicular webs having one leg thereof longer than its opposite leg and immovably afiixed to said plate.

2. The structure called for-in claim 1 wherein said pair of inverted U-shaped elements are unitarily interconnected in angular relation to each other.

3. A support for the angular wall overlying the opening of a protruding corner fireplace, said support comprising a standard having an upper end, a crown plate seated on said end extending horizontally when said standard is vertically disposed, a pair of header rails having inner end portions seated on said plate and having opposed elongated outer end portions protruding longitudinally from said plate in perpendicular relation to said standard, and means fixed on said plate telescopingly engaging the inner end portions of said rails, said rails comprising lengths of angle-iron having a pair of webs extending in right angular relation to each other arranged with one web overlying said plate in slidably seated parallel relation thereto and the other web perpendicular thereto, said means comprising a pair of inverted rigid U-shaped elements positioned astride said perpendicular webs each having an elongated leg immovable affixed to said plate, and means fastening said U-shaped elements in fixed relation to said webs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS KENNETH DOWNEY, Primary Examiner. 

